


Magic and Mistletoe

by emelianss



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Christmas, First Kiss, Fluff, Gift Fic, Hufflepuff Marco Bott, JeanMarco Gift Exchange, M/M, Magic, Slytherin Jean Kirstein
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 13:55:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8982652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emelianss/pseuds/emelianss
Summary: It's Christmas time at Hogwarts, and instead of staying in the library all weekend to finish their potions project, Jean and Marco decide to spend the day together in Hogsmeade, surrounded by snow, sweets, and sparkling magic.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [giwp](https://archiveofourown.org/users/giwp/gifts).



> Happy Holidays, everyone -- especially to you, my dear recipient! I hope you all are having a lovely time <3  
> And thank you to the mods for doing the exchange possible again this year, as well as to everyone who've participated! I'm so excited to see all the amazing creations.
> 
> Now, to my gift. I almost cried from happiness when I found out I finally had an excuse to write a HP au, and gosh this prompt was so adorable and fun to work with. I wanted to do so much more, but work and real life came in the way. I hope you still like what I made with the time I had! It's been a delight to write :'D
> 
> I also hope others will enjoy it as well. Let me know what you think <3

The library lay in silence, wrapping around the hushed whispers trailing between the shelves. A few Christmas bells jingled in the distance, mixing with the quiet of ink drying into parchment, and the sound books made while being read.

Jean yawned and scratched his chin, eyes staring at the page he had open but unable to focus on the text. It was afternoon on a Saturday in December, and he and his project partner had been sitting there for hours trying to finish their potions homework. Some other students were scattered around as well, but most of them were the younger kids not yet allowed to visit Hogsmeade anyway, so it wasn’t like they missed anything. Or, Jean corrected himself, at least nothing that couldn’t be done another day.

Finally, Jean threw the quill to the table with a frustrated sigh. ‘This sucks!’ he said, glaring hard at the book and parchments in front of him. His notes were a mess and just the thought of deciphering them later made him groan.

Marco glanced up from his own pages without saying anything, but his expression was tired. Jean wasn’t sure if it was because of the homework or Jean complaining – or both. Probably both.

They’d had so much work lately Jean had no time over for practice, and it was starting to piss him off. His team must be in top form for their game against Gryffindor; so far, the lions were in the lead, and Jean refused to lose against Eren Jaeger again this year. It simply wasn't allowed to happen.

Marco had been on the Hufflepuff team his third and fourth year, but decided to focus more on schoolwork now with all the big exams awaiting them. While that meant an enemy team lost a good player, and caused them the trouble of getting used to a new one, Jean was disappointed by Marco’s decision. He’d tried to find a good time to suggest they should practice together some evening, but lost every chance he got while it was still relevant. To ask anyway would be too weird; they spent many hours together, but it was all because of school, and Jean had never been good at telling where the line was between classmate and friend. Especially not with Marco, who was so sweet and nice with everyone.

‘I say we screw this,’ Jean continued, gesturing with his hands towards the books. ‘It’s the last Hogsmeade weekend before Christmas! We still have time to work on this crap tomorrow.’

‘What about your extra Quidditch practice then?’ Marco retorted, but with a vague gleam in his eyes.

‘If we work hard, I’ll have time for both.’

A smile pulled at Marco’s lips; considering Jean's history of losing focus every five minutes, that plan was unlikely to work out, and they both knew it. But Jean’d had enough for today. At this point Marco was doing all the work anyway, and that wasn't fair.

Besides, the idea of spending a day with Marco _without_ studying was too exciting to pass up, even if it meant more stress later.

Marco put down his quill and closed the book with a dusty thud. ‘Okay.’

‘Yeah?’ Jean raised an eyebrow for clarification. If he was honest, he had expected Marco to argue, because, well, it was _Marco_ . He always did his homework well, studied properly for exams, came prepared to class. It was no secret that he had great grades, although he was very humble about it, even when giving the correct answers to the professors’ questions. Sometimes that made Jean worry over how Marco felt being paired up with him of all people – not that Jean was _bad_ , he was actually really good if he set his mind to it. But in moments like this, when he suggested _fun_ before responsibilities, he knew he was balancing on a thin thread. He didn’t want Marco to think he was trying to sneak away from his part of the project.

But Marco smiled, dimples in his cheeks deepening. ‘Yeah!’

Jean raised a hand in victory, which earned him an amused chuckle from Marco. Jean grinned back. ‘This is gonna be fun,’ he promised, all focus on getting a break while trying to ignore how his heart sped up at the thought of spending quality time with Marco.

They packed up their things, Jean shoving it into his bag while Marco sorted it in order in his. While waiting for Marco to be ready, Jean took a last look around the library; a younger Slytherin kid he vaguely recognised was watching them with jealousy, and Jean couldn't stop himself from smirking in reply.

Marco gave him a stern look when he saw it, but the smile was still playing in the corner of his lips. And he was just as eager as Jean, so without further delay they headed out into the chilly corridors towards their Houses to get changed.

*

No matter how many years passed, the holiday spirit of the castle always filled Marco with childlike glee. Christmas had been his favourite time of the year since he was little, and even though he was halfway through his teens now, the pure magic of it all made him feel like a small child all over again. Of course, Hogwarts was always magical, but Christmas was something extra special.

A light snowfall greeted them halfway to Hogsmeade, the frosty ground crunching under their feet. The weather was more chilly than cold, but it was still nice to be wrapped in their scarves and winter cloaks. Marco took deep breaths of the fresh air, happy to be outside. He loved the library, but the thought of not getting to see the wizard village in December had been disappointing to say the least.

Hogsmeade was like an illustration taken from one of the books his mother used to read to him when he was little. Mist and snow lay around the old cottages, roofs white with icicles gleaming in the light from lanterns. Among them sparkled Christmas ornaments and fairy lights in shifting colours, and in the frozen trees floated hundreds of enchanted candles. Then there was the people moving along the streets, with their old-fashioned clothes and pointed hats, one more unique than the other.

They started out strolling down the high street, waving at friends and stopping by the shop windows to peer at all the peculiar things placed in them. Since neither of them had thought they'd be able to come there today, they didn't really have any plans for where to go.

‘We should visit J. Pippin’s Potions,’ Marco suggested after a while. ‘Then we could always excuse this trip as research.’

Jean cracked a lopsided smirk, one eyebrow raised. ‘Are you already feeling bad about coming here?’

‘I’m not! I just thought it might be… inspiring.’

‘Yeah, right,’ Jean said, nudging Marco’s side with his arm. Marco pursed his lips, earning a laugh in reply. ‘Relax, Marco. We’ll do all that tomorrow, so forget about it now. Let’s go get a bunch of candy instead!’

Honeydukes was filled to the brim with people, most of them students adamant to fill their candy storage for the holidays. Marco had hoped most of them would have done so earlier in the day, but he understood now that was wishful thinking. This shop was always busy, even more so with the students visiting. He and Jean had to elbow their way to everything they wanted (Jean doing the elbowing, and Marco apologising as he followed close behind him) but it was nice anyway. Everywhere was strange candy to take a closer look at, so it didn’t matter they were stuck in the same spot longer than planned. When they finally left, their bags were full of enchanted sweets – countless types and shapes of chocolate, cakes, jelly candy, blowing gum, every flavour imaginable – and they headed back towards the Three Broomsticks for a warm break and snack.

‘So you’re staying here during Christmas?’ Jean asked as he chewed on a jelly slug, looking at Marco as he waited for a reply.

Marco nodded with a hum. ‘I mean, I’ve done so the past years too but it still feels weird leaving Mum and Dad like that,’ he said ‘This year is Mina’s first time staying here though, so they prefer if we’re here with her.’ He chuckled gently; he doubted he’d see much of his youngest sister during the Holidays, because she’d made it very clear she’d spend it all with her close group of friends. Marco didn’t mind, though. He had his own friends and would have stayed anyway, but it felt better knowing it was what his parents wanted.

Jean frowned in thought, sharp brows furrowed and lips pressed tight. For a long time, Marco had believed he was always in a bad mood because of his scowl. But as they started to get paired up in the classes they shared, he learned to see the shift between the casual and angry frowns. It also became apparent that most of the time Jean was just deep in thought about something, so focused on whatever went on in his mind he ended up glaring at nothing. It was charming in a way Marco had never expected, and today with the cold biting into his nose and cheeks, leaving them pink, it was unfairly so. _Cute,_ a small voice whispered; Marco pushed the thought away.

‘They weren’t prepared for you to be away so much, I guess?’ Jean finally said. ‘My dad always knew, but that’s because Mum told him she’s a witch before I was even born. It must be so strange to just be thrown into it from nowhere… for the parents too.’

‘Yeah,’ Marco agreed. ‘But they’re used to all that now; it was the hardest with Ymir because she was first. When professor Pixis came to visit to explain everything to us, we younger kids were very curious and jealous, so he winked and said we were next. So Mum and Dad knew to prepare.’ Marco chuckled again at the memory; he still remembered how excited it had made him. The two years waiting for his turn were a mix of anticipation and worry he expected too much; in truth, he’d barely scratched the surface. This world was more amazing than he ever could have imagined.

They arrived at the Three Broomsticks in time to get a small corner table from a friend group that was leaving. The place was almost full, the cosy chatter adding to the welcoming atmosphere.

Marco came back from the bar with two Butterbeers just as Jean spit out a Bertie Bott’s bean with a disgusted grimace. He’d spread out their candy over the table and quickly picked something else to get rid of the nasty taste left in his mouth.

‘That bad?’ Marco grinned and handed him his glass before sitting down opposite him.

‘Every damn time.’ Jean grimaced again. ‘I don’t know what it was, but it was awful.’

Marco laughed gently at Jean’s suffering and picked up a Chocolate Frog from the heap of sweets.

He was having such a nice time with Jean and he didn't want the day to end. Their conversations were easy, always close to jokes and laughter, and it filled Marco with warmth even when out in the cold. Now inside, sharing a table like this, the burning in his chest was even stronger. He’d liked Jean for a long time, more than in a friendly way. But it was hard to come up with casual excuses to hang out with him outside of classes; belonging in different Houses, they didn't have the chance to relax in the same common room in the evenings, which was how Marco had made most of his friends from other years than his own. So, when Jean wanted to go here rather than study, Marco didn't have to think about it twice.

After swallowing a few too many Pepper Imps in one go, Marco gulped down half his glass of Butterbeer, hoping it’d stop his ears from smoking.

‘Oh you.. you’ve got--’ Jean made a gesture to his own mouth, uncertain smile pulling it to one side.

‘What?’ Marco blinked. It took a moment of confused staring at Jean’s lips before the meaning hit him; his cheeks heated up as he quickly wiped away the Butterbeer moustache, embarrassed stammering mumbled into his hand. Jean chuckled a little, but with no teasing tone. It sounded more self-conscious to be honest, which didn't make much sense. Marco glanced up at Jean again; the other boy was focusing on his folded napkin, ears a little red. Was he… blushing? No, it must be left from the cold. He wasn’t warm yet. Right?

They sat in silence for a while, sipping their drinks. Marco made sure to wipe his mouth clean to avoid any more embarrassment, focus on reading the labels of the candy closest to him.

‘Hey, Marco,’ Jean eventually said, drawing Marco’s attention back to him. He was grinning, foam from the beer shaped into a connoisseur moustache curving over his upper lip and cheeks. ‘What do you think? Looking good on me?’

Marco couldn't help but laugh, and Jean’s offended expression only made it harder to stop. Jean only kept the mask a few seconds before he too was snorting and giggling, the hand over his mouth smearing out the art piece he’d created. ‘You dork,’ Marco smiled, bumping his foot into Jean’s leg under the table. And just like that the tension had vanished, laughed away like it should be.

Back outside again a while later, Marco kept his eyes open for Ymir. Passing by Zonko’s earlier he’d gotten the idea to buy something funny from there to send to their parents, but he wanted to check with her first in case she would want to get something more expensive together.

Luck was with him, because as they left Dogweed and Deathcap **,** he spotted her farther down the opposite street as she entered Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop with her girlfriend Christa. They were obviously on a date and wouldn't appreciate him disturbing them, but being annoying was part of his job description as a younger brother. Besides, he was just going to ask a quick question. Ymir could live with that.

With Jean behind him, Marco hurried on towards the tea shop to get it over with. Jean caught up with him when they were standing inside by the entrance to the main room, looking around at all the snuggly couples occupying the tables.

‘Didn’t expect to see Ymir in here,’ Jean snorted at the sight of the older girls being cosy in the far-off corner, surrounded by tacky and frilly decorations that were so far from Ymir’s style you could come.

Marco smiled in reply; he quite liked the atmosphere, at least if he ignored all the kissing couples and the fact that he’d never had anyone to visit the tea shop with. Ymir on the other hand had mocked the interior more than once, and yet there she was all lovey-dovey with her girlfriend.

‘I...uh. I’ll wait by the door,’ Jean added with a look at the couple exchanging sloppy kisses by the table closest to them. He gestured with his thumb over the shoulder, before turning back.

Marco zigzagged between the tables to reach his sister, doing his best not to disturb anyone as he passed. As expected, Ymir wasn't delighted to see him. She glared up at him as he explained why he was there and quickly waved him away with a dismissive, ‘Yeah, yeah. Buy something fun and tell me later.’

Marco returned the way he had come, apologising when he bumped into someone, but they were too focused on their partner to pay him any mind. He shook his head at them all, but then a small voice in the back of his mind reminded him of Jean. It wasn't hard to pretend they’d come in there together for a whole other reason than the real one. But it did no good to dream about that.

When Marco was back by the door, Jean raised an eyebrow in question, asking if Marco was ready to leave; Marco replied with a short nod. Jean turned as he reached out his hand for the handle, touched the wood, and stopped. Marco wasn’t prepared for it and almost walked into him; he was about to ask why but lost his words when he tried to step back and found that he couldn’t. An invisible wall had appeared behind him, stopping him from widening the small space between them.

‘What the—’ Jean turned back towards the room, glaring as he searched for someone to blame for this annoying magic trick. But no one was paying attention to them, and judging by the confusion that replaced Jean’s glare, he didn’t find anyone to suspect either.

That was when Madam Puddifoot walked past carrying a tray of coffee cups, delighted smile twinkling in her eyes. ‘Oh, but look!’ she chirped. ‘If it isn’t two lovebirds stuck under the mistletoe!’

Oh no. No, no, no. Marco glanced up at the enchanted plant hanging above them, the magic visible as tiny, sparkling stars. It was pretty, but the sight made his insides turn and his skin burn hot.

‘O—oh,’ he managed, gaze flickering from the mistletoe to Jean and back again. ‘I… uhh… I—I mean, we…’

Jean stood quiet, lips pressed into a thin line and his frown unreadable. What was he thinking? They had never actually talked about preferences or dating, so Marco wasn't sure how to address the situation they were in. On one hand; _yes_ he’d really want to kiss Jean. But not like this, when he didn’t know how Jean felt about it. Why had he insisted on going in here? He should have figured a romantic, cheesy place like this would have hexed mistletoe.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, a short, nervous laugh escaping him. ‘Maybe if we wait a little, it’ll be go away…’ Or maybe it’d be enough with a quick kiss on the cheek. That wouldn't be so bad, right?

But Marco hesitated to suggest it, and instead Jean shook his head. ‘It’s just a stupid kiss,’ he muttered, and then, before Marco had time to think about what he meant, he took the step separating them, leaned up and pressed his lips to Marco’s. It was over as quickly as it had started; Jean stepped away, neck bent with nose buried in his scarf and eyes glaring at the floor as he turned and pushed through the door. But his ears were burning red, and before he disappeared, the blush was spreading over his cheeks too.

Marco stood blinking at the door without seeing it, gaping in surprise. What… had just happened? The sensation still lingered on his lips, like a ghost, pale in comparison to reality but yet _there_. The rest of his face was warm, spreading down his neck, curling in his chest around his heart. It was a nice feeling. Very nice. But there was also a taste of confusion, uncertainty. What next? Had Jean really fled through the door, or was that only how Marco’s mind interpreted it? Was he now waiting outside, unaffected, wondering why Marco was so slow to join him?

A big part of Marco knew the second option wasn’t the case. He also feared that staying any longer only worsened the already awkward situation. Taking a deep breath, Marco did his best to calm his racing heart.

*

Jean was glad Marco didn’t follow him out immediately; this was bad enough as it was without Marco also seeing him react like this. He rested his forehead against the wall while groaning into his hands. His face was burning, his heart beat loud and fast, and lips tingled from the quick touch, while his mind replayed it over and over, making it very hard for the rest of him to calm down.

This certainly wasn’t the way he had imagined their first kiss to be like, but that didn’t matter. The fact that it happened at all was too exciting and terrifying to even remember all the scenarios he’d come up with during the late nights he let his heart run away with him. Of course, the reality might not be the best of the options, considering he was now hiding instead of being embraced by Marco’s arms. But _still_ . He had stood under the mistletoe with _Marco Bodt_ , and _kissed_ him.

How did he end up here?

When the door finally opened, Jean was quick to straighten up from the wall. He fumbled with his cloak, smoothing it down and brushing away snow, hoping to appear casual. But he was well aware of how painfully easy it was to see through the act. Marco didn’t say anything though; Jean wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad sign.

‘So, um.’ Jean nodded towards the high street. ‘Anywhere specific you want to go now?’ He glanced at Marco through the corner of his eye, his heart sighing at the sight of the pink blush still lingering behind the freckles. Marco’s eyes were on the ground, his nose hidden in his scarf, but at Jean’s words he looked up again.

‘Oh yeah, I should go buy that present,’ he said, blinking against the soft snowfall and avoiding Jean’s gaze. ‘At Zonko’s.’

Jean nodded, turning to lead the way. ‘Alright, let’s go.’

The silence hung heavy over them as they walked, and the longer time passed the more anxious Jean got. He should have joked it away instead of rushing out, made sure to leave the awkwardness underneath the mistletoe where it belonged. It’d been so easy all day, so nice, so much fun. The thought of having ruined things between them now made Jean’s stomach churn.

Marco wasn’t joking it away either, though. Maybe that meant something? Maybe… But all Jean’s courage had been used for that kiss, and now only silence and awkward small-talk remained.

He’d succeeded so well to avoid stumbling into any of their closer friends, but now it was a relief when he saw Sasha and Connie outside Tomes and Scrolls. He called for them, and in less than a second the tense bubble around himself and Marco cracked open, letting in laughter and cheerful chatter.

Sasha poured out stories about the day like water from a fountain, forgetting details and backtracking to fill them in, determined not to leave anything out. Jean wasn’t sure how so much could have happened in one day, but when he questioned the reliability, Connie too insisted all of it was true. The argument was ridiculous, but it made Marco chuckle, so Jean saw it as a victory even though he lost it.

By the time they entered Zonko’s to buy the present for Marco’s parents, the unwanted ice between them was melting away little by little. And with all the silly products around them, Jean found it easier to address jokes to Marco again. He felt bad for focusing so much on the other two when he was supposed to hang out with Marco alone, but he was scared of making things worse rather than better. Marco didn’t say much to any of them unless asked to, but he was smiling and laughing so that was something, at least.

It was later as they passed one of the many trees decorated with floating candles that Jean looked up and saw another mistletoe hanging from a branch right above himself and Sasha. But neither he nor she froze underneath it; Sasha just walked on without noticing, humming a Christmas carol she’d learned from the castle ghosts.

‘What the fuck?’ Jean blurted out, stopping anyway and glared up at the plant. ‘So _this one_ isn’t hexed?!’

Sasha turned back, blinking at him like a confused owl. Connie caught on quicker though, shaking his head. ‘Nah, man,’ he said. ‘I think all of them are, but I heard the hex only works if both people actually want it.’

‘Yeah,’ Sasha agreed now that she knew what it was about. ‘Imagine being stuck underneath it with a creep or something. But,’ she added, smirk growing and lashes fluttering at Jean, ‘if you really want a kiss, Jeanbo, you can have one anyway.’

Jean stepped back with a grimace; Sasha and Connie burst into laughter, bumping shoulders and sharing a high five. Jean just rolled his eyes with arms crossed over his chest. This was one reason he’d wanted to avoid them today.

The next moment Connie pointed at Honeydukes, reminding Sasha they’d already eaten most of the candy they bought earlier. ‘You guys already have your hands full so you should wait outside,’ Sasha said when casting a look at Jean before hurrying after Connie. ‘We’ll be back soon!’

Judging by past experiences, they wouldn’t get out anytime soon, but Jean didn’t argue. Because right then, he realised what Connie had actually said, and all he managed to do was stare at the now closed door of the shop, his mouth dry, and heart hammering against his ribcage.

_If both people want it._

The silence was pressing over them, awkward again but this time fluttering with hope rather than dread. Pulsing with questions and expectations.

Jean glanced to the side at Marco, saw his small smile and the soft blush on his cheeks. Eyes downcast and shy, long lashes brushing his cheeks. Why was he so adorable without even doing anything? It wasn’t fair. Jean swallowed, forcing himself to face towards him. The snow crunched beneath his boots as he moved, the sound loud in the quiet. Others were walking past, but they and their chatter seemed far away.

When Marco finally glanced up, beautiful eyes meeting his, Jean cleared his throat, his ears burning. ‘So... um,’ he stammered, ‘you.. you wanted... _that_?’

Marco shrugged a little, but the pink in his cheeks deepened. ‘And you did, too?’ he managed to say after a while, his voice as soft as the snowflakes surrounding them.

‘Well, obviously,’ Jean replied with a nervous laugh, and then cringed at his own tone.

But Marco just smiled that adorable smile, eyes on his own hands again. ‘I worried I'd trapped you in something you really didn't want,’ he said. ‘I—I mean, I didn't cast the spell b—but...well…’

Overcome by another surge of fleeting courage, Jean stepped closer, a hand finding Marco's arm with a reassuring squeeze, gaze catching his eyes. ‘I really _did_ ,’ he said. ‘Really.’

Marco let out a soft sigh, his smile growing ever fonder. ‘Me too,’ he whispered back and placed his own fingers on top of Jean’s. He was warm despite the cold. With a blush and embarrassed grimace, he added, ‘For quite long now, actually.’

Jean hummed in understanding and agreement, though he didn’t know if it was clear to Marco what he meant. Hesitating, he peered at Marco’s expression for hidden answers. ‘Do you still want it,’ he started, ‘or did that awful one I gave you ruin my only chance? I promise I'm better than that. I actually did my homework for this…’

Marco laughed and Jean blushed at his own stupid jokes, but it was a good kind of embarrassment because Marco's laugh was beautiful. And Jean was kind of telling the truth, even though it wasn’t exactly something he wanted to brag over. His research was done through books, not by actually having kissed anyone before. He knew whatever he might have learned was unlikely to help him much.

Dark was falling now, making the candles above them all the more magical. The snowfall had increased during the day, and now big, fluffy flakes descended all around them, slow but steady.

Marco forced a serious mask onto his face, but it only held for a second before cracks were showing. ‘You can have a second chance, then,’ he said, smile fighting for control. ‘Since you did your homework, and all.’

Jean smiled uncertainly, his hands sweaty with nerves. But Marco’s smile was gentle, his own emotions shaking behind it, and Jean knew he didn't have to worry. This time Marco was there to meet him halfway, and while it was slow and clumsy from inexperience, it made relief and happiness rush through Jean’s veins. It was alright; nice, soft, and warm, with giggles breaking between their lips. Their noses nudged each other, warm cheeks meeting as they hugged close.

‘I can help you Quidditch practise tomorrow after we finish the project,’ Marco hummed. ‘If you want to.’ He gazed up at the sky, then added, ‘Unless there’s too much snow. In that case, I’d prefer being snuggled up in a cosy chair by a fireplace.’

Jean’s grin widened, his chest aching happily when Marco met his gaze with an affectionate gleam. He pressed another quick kiss to Marco’s lips, and a second to his cheek. ‘I’d like that a lot,’ he said, lacing their fingers between them and giving a gentle squeeze. ‘What about practice first, and snuggles afterwards?’

Marco smiled, squeezing Jean’s hand in return. ‘Sounds good.’

They didn’t widen the space between them until Sasha and Connie returned; it was in mutual understanding they’d decided not to tell them yet. Whatever they were now was still so new, and they both wanted time to explore and figure it out only the two of them before including anyone else. The right time for nosy friends would come later.

But Sasha and Connie were too busy laughing at inside jokes to notice anyway, so they didn’t question it when Jean and Marco trailed a few steps behind. Their fingers stayed intertwined, eyes and smiles saying enough as they walked back towards the castle in silence, snow and magic sparkling in the air around them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! <3


End file.
